The present invention relates to knowledge-based systems. More specifically, the invention relates to the integration of knowledge-based systems with network-accessible interactive documents.
It is often said that we are drowning in information, but starved for knowledge. There is a vast amount of information available over the Internet, and, indeed, even on company intranets and networks. Most often, however, that information is not accessible in an efficient manner. Users that desire an answer to a question or problem are forced to manually sift through scores of data, often times without finding the answer. Part of the problem is that there are no existing mechanisms that satisfactorily make information available in a usable manner. Rather, information is simply stored, and may even be categorized. However, if an individual is in search of some information or knowledge, that individual is essentially left to conduct queries, analyze the result of the query, and formulate his own new query in search of the information, mostly done manually.
In some circumstances, the individual may have access to a database that includes summaries of information stored at a location, such as a Web site. One example of such a system is the typical Internet search engine. The individual typically accesses an Internet search engine and provides a simple word-search query. The conventional search engine queries its databases, and returns summaries of those documents that include the words used in the search. Usually such a search returns very many summaries, most of which are unusable and unrelated to solving the individual""s problem. Unfortunately, the individual has no recourse but to sift through the search results in an attempt to identify the document that contains the solution. Existing information technologies do not provide the individual with access to experts that may be able to assist with the search for a solution by guiding the individual through a systematic search through the information while avoiding information that is unrelated to the individual""s ultimate goal.
Thus, as is readily appreciated, it is inefficient and cumbersome to access information or knowledge stored at a Web site or intranet by merely performing simple word-search queries and manually analyzing the results. Unfortunately, that is precisely the current solution to the problem.
Briefly stated, the present invention overcomes the problems identified above by attaching a knowledge based system (KBS) to a web page, a Web site, or a document, thereby making the site, page, or document content interactive. The invention enables the capture, retention, and interactive-use of knowledge and information associated with the Web site, Web page, or document.
In one aspect of the invention, a knowledge-building component captures knowledge or information and stores the knowledge or information in a knowledge module. The knowledge module is attached to either a Web site or individual Web pages or documents within the Web site. The content and structure of the knowledge module determines the interactive functionality provided to the end user of the Web site. The functionality may include providing a presentation mechanism for the Web site content; enabling an interactive, self-service answer facility; providing easy access to complex content; enabling an interactive, self-service analysis capability that results in a problem solution and a recommendation; and the like.
In another aspect of the invention, a knowledge serving component facilitates the interacting with the knowledge. The knowledge serving component receives from a user machine an identification of a problem, perhaps posed as a question or a set of symptoms. The knowledge serving component may access a knowledge module and present the user machine with questions having alternative replies. The knowledge serving component uses selections made by the user machine and the content of the knowledge module to direct the user machine to a specific piece of knowledge or information contained within a site. One example of the specific piece of knowledge may be a potential recommendation of a piece of medical advice concerning symptoms that a user may be experiencing. The decisions made by and the interactions with the knowledge serving component may be dynamically controlled by the user""s interaction with the knowledge.
Yet another aspect of the invention provides a mechanism for locating and interacting with the content provided by a Web site. This aspect of the invention enables an end user to dynamically interact with the web site, thereby xe2x80x9cdirectingxe2x80x9d the user to pieces of content desired by interactively specifying responses to selections.
Another aspect of the invention provides a recommendation facility for a user. This aspect enables the user to solicit advice or recommendations via the Web site by xe2x80x9cdirectingxe2x80x9d the analysis, on which the advice or recommendation is based, through a dynamic selection and response interaction.
These and other aspects of the invention, together with the benefits and advantages realized, will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings, in which: